Shoe form



March 21, 1933.

w. J. DE NlTT SHOE FORM Filed July '7, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l I I a March 21, 1933. w. .1. DE VIITT SHOE FORM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July '7, 1931 Patented Mar. 21, 1933 DE wnr, or Alistair,- N wizonxfissIeNon m snonmm (10., moron nnnnnnnnw Yonx, acomeonarron or nnwyonx i I 1 :SHOE roan 1.

.. This invention relatesto an improvement in a shoe form more particularlyj in .a fofrin of the type. comprising an expansible toe,

member and a back partwire, by the manipulation of whichsthetoe member may be both' inserted into thetoeot a shoe and expanded. therein to fall or plump out the toe material and also contracted inthe toe and withdrawn; h

therefrom inthe contracted condition.

The primary object of thisinyention re: sides in the means for expanding or contracting the toe member, such means being a crossbrace of the toggle type having two, sections, one end of one section being pivotally attached to one Wall of the toe member and one end of the other section being .pivotally attached to the other wall of the'toemember,

and the free ends of the sections being pivotally attached to the back part wire and to each other, certain of such'attachm'ents permittinga relative movement of the attached elements whereby the expansion or contrac tion-of thetoe member is performed in'two stages, one stage by the making or breaking of the toggle formed by the crossbrace section and the other stage by the relative movement, of the attached elements. a V. I

A further object of this invention resides in theprovision of such a cro'ssbraoe wherein the means for attachingat least one section to a side wall includes a slot inthesidelw'all ableintheslotl- I ,y 1, *Another object ofthisiinfvention resides in and abutton carried section and inoythe provision. of such a lcross brlace wherein the means for attaching the ends o'ii the sections to one another includes a slot in at v least one section, whereby the sections. arernoV- able relative to each other and means normally preyenting such movement.

Other obj ectsof he invention will appear; from a consideration of the. following de scription; of one embodiment of the invention andvv of the accompanyingdrawingsin which such embodiment is showii and inwhich 1 .Fig. I isla sideeIevatiOnofa shoe form embodyingthis invention; 1 I: V

E Fig; 2 is a bottom plan yiew of a shoe form illustrating one embodiment of this invention showing the form in full lines after the comcontraction movement and in dotted jlines are: th QQ P19 iQ F-9 e t nei i m w ment; 5

v Fig. 3 is a 'k iewi similar m; Fi rent-6' shoe form. after the completion of the con traction movement andin a position tobe in se'rted into or withdrawn fromth'e-toe of a Fig. i is the lin'e' of that embodiment; I

Fig. 5 is a botto'm plan view similar to Fig. 2 ,of another embodimentlof this invention; Fig. 6 is a bottom'p'lan viewwith parts broken away of a shoe form illustrating a a cross-sectional view taken along,

third embodiment ofthisinvention in theexpanded condition]; I 1 Fig; 7is a top plan View oftheembodirnent shown in'Fig. 6;; and

Fig. 8 is bottom p1 1; iew of etchv eni bodlment in the} partially contracted condition.

invention comprises-a toe member 10 and apletibnofthe first s gebf th'eipan iqfitr; i

on Fig. 2 illnstrating one detail The/"5.1166 m selected to illustrate the,

such length that the loop 12'a't the'outer end thereof adapted to contactwiththe' heel counter ofashoe, asfshowhfbr example in: my Patent l,8 03,843, dated ,May 5f, 1931, or

may be shorter so that the loop will not contact with the heel counterl' Itwill be understood that'theterm back parewire is of"suflicientscope to, include botlitypes, Thejback part wire-11 may consistof a wire Irod 13 en:

cased within., a tube l i oficellnl oid or'other 4 material which mayor lna'yl notflbe flexibl "Ihe toe member 10 of-the various embodi ments comprises a hollow body portion15 of celluloid orother flexible, resilient material hsl'Y'ing. W l 16 1 which t ntfi b l flanges 8 5M 9 eflat -c nn c ed yjai c rossbracei2'0' comprising section's 21,f2 2. piv otallyljoined the inner endsflas by'a rivet 23. Tillie embodiments of the inveiition' dif-' fer in the fornr'oif H connectfthe walls ofthe'body portion 15.

In the embodiment shown in Figs? 2,3 and 4 the onter'en'd'of the section 21 is pivotally' attachedto the a maze receives a button or pin 26 carried" bythe" outer-end of section 22. Then-the toggle-is;

made the sections 21 and- 22 are-in the posi tion shown in Fig. 2, a tongue 27 being ie vided on the section 22 which engages one edge of the section 21 and limits the making of the toggle. The backpartwire' l' l'is at tached at its inner end to the crossbrace 28 bending; the inner endf of the wire 13 aroundthe' shank o'fthe rivet23.

The form'is inserted'into the toe'of a shoe in the entirely contracted condition shown in Fig. 3 and" the back p'artwireis advanced first'to make the toggle, a's'show'n in full lines Fig. 2, thereby partiallyexpanding'the toe member and" second to swing the cross brace 20 as a unit upon its pivot until the toe ha'sjlieen plumped' into the desired position.

The 'a'niou'nt' of this second movement is as: termined by the material'which forms the toe of the shoe and the crossbrace will not under ordinary conditions move to the limit indi= catedby dottedlines'onFig. 2. When the shoe form is removed from the shoe the back partwir'e 11 is retracte'd'until' the toe member has been contracted into substantially the condition shown inFig. 3, so. that is can easily be wihdrawn from theshoe.

Thefembodi fer's from" that previously described that the outer ends of bothsections 21 and 22 of the crossbrace 20 are attached to the b all. flanges of the body portion in the'same way as is tliesection' 22 attached to the flange 19. Thus boththe flanges 18 and 19 are provided with arcuate slots 3Q and 31 which receive buttons 32 I and 33 carried by the sections 21*" and 22 respectively. The sections 21 and 22 are attached to the back part/wire 11 and to each otherby a rivetl23 jand the' section 22 is provided with a tongue 27 a which limits the making ofthe toggle by the advance of the back part wire 11. It will be apparent that' thecrossbrace 2O after the tog le has been made will advance as a unit guuied by the slots'eo and 31 to expand'the body portion oft-he toemember'. 1 In the third embodiment (Figs. 6,. 7 and thecrossbrace 2O comprises'section s 21 and 22 'pivotally attached at their outer 1 ends to the flanges 18 and19 by studs or rivets'rlO and 41 and'attached to the backpart wire 11' and to each other by a rivet 42. 2 Through the'inner ends of the sections'2l and 22 extend slots 1'3 and i l-respectively, which receive theshank ofthe rivet 42 andthus pers m'it movement'of the sections relative to each other. The outer ends of the sections are ent illustrated in Fig. s ain formed with tips 15 and 46 respectively which bear against the walls of the toe member to limit the pivotal movement of the sections in one direction. (See Figs. 6 and 7). A length of spring wire 47 attached at its endsto'theifside wallsgof the toe member, as for instance, to the studs or' rivets 40 and 41, normally expands the form so that the sectionsare substantially I in alignment, this erpansion being limited by the engagement of the rivet 42 with the outer ends of the slots Band 4 1.

The crossbrace sections 21 and 22 act, as do the sections in'the other embodiment, as a toggle which is made either by the action ofthe spring wire' flfwhen thetoe' member is free to expand, or advancingjof the back part wire, when the-toe member-'isnnot free to e' ipand, and isb'roken by retracting-the; bac kpart wire, see Fig 8. Ini'this, embodnment also'the expansionor contraction of the toe member in'cludeslthe movement of" the crossbrace'fsections' two stages,- one stage being the 'making' of a toggle and the other stage being that movement of the; sections relative to each otherfpermitted by the rivet 42 and slot's43and'44. 7

When this embodiment i'semployed the toggleis first broken by rctra'cting'the back part wire ll sothat the toemeinber is par-- tially contracted. The member is then" in-* ser-t'ed intothe. toe offthe'shoe,"any further contraction required being provided by the relative movement'of the sectionsagainst the urge ofthe spring Wire 417 When within the toe the spring 47' expands themember until the walls thereof bear against" the material forming the toe. The back part Wire is then advanced to make the toggle, the sections of thejcrossbrace moving relative to each other against th'e'urge of the spring wire as before unless, as practically never happens, the toepermits the toe'meinb'er to assume the extreme ex an'ded; condition illustrated in Figs:

an "7 r v fWhile certain j embodiments of theinvention have been" 'shown and d'escribed' it will be understood that I am not limited thereto and that otherembodiments may be made without departingrmm the spirit andscope; of the invention as setforthjin the following I claim: i

1; Asoe formcomprising a toe member and a back part'wire, said toe member comprising a hollowbo'dy por.tion,'the sidewalls ofivhichterminate in ball flanges and acrossbrace connecting: such flanges, said crossbrace beingmade in two sections, the innerf ends of which are other and to the p part Wire memberfa'nd the outer endof which arepivotally attached to the" ball flanges',j.said""sections, w en in alignment, forming a toggle and certain of said-attach yirb al y ttachedto each n f e of the ba'ck in two stages, eone' stage bythe making or i breaking ofthetoggle-and the other stage by the relative movement;

2. A- shoeform comprising a toe members and a back part wire, said toe member comprisinga hollow body portion, the side walls of which terminate in ball flanges, acrossbrace connecting said flanges made in two relatively movablersections and movable in two stages to. expand; or contract-said toe member, primary means for moving the sections ofthe crossbrace in one stage and sec-. ondary means assisting the primary. means for moving thecrossbrace asa unit. the other stage." l s v 3. A shoe'form' comprising a toe member and aback part-wire, said toe'member comprising-a hollow body portion, the side Walls of which terminate in ball flanges, acrossbrace connectingsai'd flanges made in two relatively movable sections and -actuable in two stages to expandior contractsa-id toe' member, means for moving the crossbraceinone stage by bringing the said sections substantiallyinto alignment across the toe memher, and means co'acting with'the first means for'moving the: crossbrace in the other stage by moving the sections as a unit l; 'A shoeform comprising ,a toe member and a back part wire, said toe membercomprising ahollow body portion, the side walls of which terminate in ball'flanges, a crossbrace connecting such flanges made in two relatively movable sections and actuable in two stages to expand or contract said toe member, positively actlng means for moving:

the crossbrace in one of said stages by bringing said sections substantially into alignment across the'toe member, and means for moving the crossbrace in the other of said stages by yieldably separating the sections, said'means acting independently of the first named means. i 2

5.A shoe form including atoe member comprising a hollow body portion, the side walls of I which terminate iniball: flanges, a crossbrace connecting such flanges and consisting of twosectionsythe'outer endof each section being pivotally attached to a flange of the body portion, and theiinner ends of the sections beingpivotally attached so that the crossbrace f-unctionsras' agtoggle which is made when the sections are aligned to eX-l pand the bodyiportion," and meansifor expanding said bodyportion', which means sup pleme'nts the expanding action of'tlie toggle;

,6; A i shoe form including a' toe-member" comprising a hollowv body portionythe side walls of which terminate iniball flanges, a crossbrace connecting such flanges :and i consisting of two sections, the outerend of each sectionibeing pivotally attached toa flange of j and movable in the slot.

the. body portion, "and the inner ends of, the sections being pivotally attached so that the crossbrace' functions, as a toggle which a is madewhen the sections: arevaligned. to expand the body portion, and=l m'ean's for im-' parting movement to; the crossbrace sections relative tothe walls of the-body portion of supplementthe expandingaction 0f thetoggle, 7 ;.A Shoe comprising a hollowv body portion, the side walls of which, "terminate vin ball I flanges, a. crossbrace gconnecting such flanges ,and c10n-; sisting of two sections, theiouteri end of each, section being pivotally attached to a flange of the body portion, and ,the'inner ends of thesecti'ons being pivotally; attached sothat= thecrossbrace functions as -a toggle which is made when the sections are aligned to expandthe bodyportion, and means, for making said; toggle and for imparting tov the brace s'e'ctions a movement relative to the walls ofQthe, body portion to expand the toe member. 3' 8. A shoe form including a toe member;

comprising a. hollow body portion, the walls of which terminate in ball flanges, and a, crossbrace connecting said walls and made 7 form including 'a toemember' intwo sections, theouter end of one section being pivotally securedto the flange of one wall, the flangeof the other wall having an;

arcuate slot therein, a! studcarried by. the

outer end of theother. section enteringv said slot, means pivotally connectingthe inner ends of the sections, anda member pivotallyattached to said means whereby the member may be manipulated to bring the'crossbracesections into alignment andcanse theycrossbrace to shift as a unit guided by the slot in theflange. I

9. A shoe form including a toe member comprisinga hollow body portion, the walls of which terminate in;- ball flanges, and

crossbrace connecting said walls andmade in two sections, theoouter end of, each. sectionbeing; connected to a flange for movementrelative thereto,f and the inner ends of thesections being pivotally connected sojthat the crossbrace-vfunctions as a toggle whichiis made when thesections are in alignment, one. of said flanges having an arcuate slot andza stud carried by the outer end of one section '10, shoe: form includin a 7 member comprislng a hollow body portion, the walls of which terminate in;ball}flanges anda crossbrace connectmg'said walls and jmade intwo sections, the outer end oi each section.

being connected' to a flange for movement.

relative thereto, and'the inner; ends of the: sections being pivotally connected, soflthat .125 the crossbrace'funetions as -aitoggle which n is made when the sections,- are in alignment, 7

one of said flangesuhavingga-n arcuate'slot anda stud carried bytheouterend ofaonet,

section and movable in the slot, and a -mem-,

toe member by making said toggle and moving said crossbrace'relative'to"the body "portion, suchmovement beingguided by the tr avel of the stud in the slot. r 11;. A shoe form including a toe member comprising a hollow body portion, the walls of'whiclr terminate in ball flanges, a crossbrace connecting said walls and made'in two sections pivotally joined at their inner ends andpivotally attached at their outer ends to the fianges, and spring means normallyi tending to expand the body portion and hold said crossbrace section'sin align ment;- 7

i 12. A" shoe form includingatoe member comprising a hollowbody portion, the walls of which terminate in ball flanges, a crossbrace connecting said wallsand made intwo sections pivotally joined at their inner ends and-pivotally attached attheir outer ends to the flanges,'and a spring wire connected at its ends to the side walls of the body portion and normally tending to expand the body portion and hold said crossbrace sections in alignment.

13. A shoe form including a toe member comprising ahollow body portion, the wallsof which terminate-in ball flanges, a crossbrace connecting saidwalls and made in two sections pivotally joined at their inner ends and pivotally attac'hedat theiriouter ends to the flanges, studs by which the ends of the sections were-attached to the flanges and a spri'ngwire attached at its ends to the studs and' normally tending to expand the body portion'andhold said crossbrace sections in alignment. 1 I

14. A shoe form including a toe member comprising a hollow body portion, the walls of which terminate in ball flanges, a crossbrace-connecting said walls and made in two sections pivotally joined at their inner ends and pivotally attached at their outer-ends to the'flanges, and spring means normally tending to-expand the body portion and hold said crossbrace sections in alignment and a back part wireattached' to the inner ends ofsuch sections for drawing such sectionsout of alignment against, the urge of said spring means;

1 5. A shoe form including a'toe member comprising a hollow body portion, the walls of which terminate in ball flanges, a crossbrace connecting said walls and made in two "sections, means pivota-lly attaching the outer ends of said sections to theflanges, the'innerend's of the sections overlapping and each having a slot therein, a rivet extending through the slots-to join the sections while permitting'relative'movement of the sections, and spring means: normally tending'to .expandthe'body-portion, to hold said crossbraoesections-in alignment and to move such". sections relative to each other.

16 A shoe r form: including. a toe' member comprising a hollow-body portion, the' walls of'which terminate in :ba'lL flanges, across-- brace connecting" saidwallsandmade in two sections, fineans pivotally attaching the outer ends of said sectionsto the flange -the inner-ends: of: the-sections overlapping and each having-a slot" therein, arivet-extending through the. slots to join the sections while permitting relative movement of the sections, and aspring wire connected at its ends'to the side walls of the body portion and normally tending to expand the body portion, tofhold said'crossbrace sections'in -alignment and to'move such sections rela illVG'tO eachiother; J

17. A shoe form including: a toe member comprising a hollow body portion, the walls of which .terminatein ball flanges,- a crossbrace connecting saidwallsand' made in two sections,-means pilvotally attaching; the outer ends'of said sections to the flanges, the inner ends of the-sections overlapping and each having a slottherein, a rivet extending through theslots to join the sections while permitting relative movement of the sections, and a spring wire attached at its ends to the means by which the" outer ends of the sections are pivotally; attached to the flanges and" normally tendingtoexpand the body portion, to hold said crossbrace sections in alignment and to move such sections re'lative to each other. I

back part wireattached tosaid rivet for drawing the crossbrace-sectionsout of alignment againstthe, urge of said spring means.

19. A shoe form including a=toemember comprising a hollow bo'dy portion, the walls of which; terminate in ball flanges, a-cross brace connecting said wallsand madeintwo sections, means attaching the outer ends of said sections tothe flanges, the inner endsof the sections overlapping. and each having a slot therein, 'a rivet extending throughthe slots tojoin the sections-while permitting relative movement of the sections, and spring means normally tendingto expand the body portion and move said cross brace sections relative to eachother:

20. A shoe/form including a toe membercomprisingfa hollow; body portion, the 1 walls of which terminate in ball flanges, a cross brace connecting said walls and made in two sections, means attaching the outer ends of said sections to the flanges, the inner ends of the sections overlapping and each having a. slot therein, a rivet extending through the slots to join the sections while permitting relative movement of the sections, spring means normally tending to expand the body portion and move said cross brace sections relative to each other, and a back part Wire secured to said rivet.

Signed by me at Auburn, New York, this 2nd day of July, 1931'.

VILLIAM J. DE 'WITT. 

